It’s too bad that Utah has such repressive fishing laws, especially as it relates to youngsters. I’m referring to the “slot” limits for Scofield and Strawberry Reservoirs. Try explaining to your kids or grandchildren that they have to release a “trophy” fish because it doesn’t fall within the guidelines of Utah’s “desk jockeys” at DWR. Eliminate the “slot” program and let folks take home 6 fish of their choosing. Whatever you are trying to accomplish with these absurd regulations, they are not working for the public that pays for a license to enjoy the fishing experience. You are turning off your fishing audience both young and old alike.
I don’t know what to say… Almost… You are wrong on virtually all levels. Hopefully the next 50 posts can set you strait.
Use those slot limits as a tool to teach the youngsters about conservation, management, and that fishing is much more than just “taking your limit.” They are positives. Use them as that instead of teaching the kids to harvest everything they catch. There are plenty of waters without slot limits where they can keep a limit.
The regulation must work at Strawberry, considering its on the of the most productive trout lakes in the entire country, hands-down.
When you are out and about fishing and talking to folks who like to fish, you soon get the distinct impression that we are not that far from the “mark” as it relates to “slots and limits” as stated.
It would be interesting to listen in on your verbal dialog explaining to a youngster why they can’t take said fish home and cook it up for supper because of environmental and conservation concerns. The point is, there is another side to this “pancake” no matter how thin it is.
“Son, we’re going to release this fish so it can grow up to be really big. When it does, it will lay eggs that will turn into a lot more fish for you and everybody else to catch. And somebody else, maybe even a few other people, can catch this same fish again and have the same fun catching it as you did!” “We’ll keep some of the smaller ones to take home to eat though, OK?”
“Cool dad!” “Can I let him go?” “Lets catch some more and maybe well catch a smaller one we can keep.” “Can I let the next big one swim away by myself?”
Great example, Jim!
It is not difficult to explain conservation to children if you also understand and accept why the rules are in place. If they were to follow your recommendations it wouldn’t take very long before you would have to explain to the youngsters why they couldn’t catch anything but chubs![frown]
Yep. I’ve had to do it, on several occasions, and with several species.
I’ve been annoyed that my kid couldn’t keep the 14" small mouth she caught, but not enough to let it bother me.
If they let people keep 6 fish out of Strawberry, there wouldn’t be a fish left in two weekends except chubs. Chubs would then over-run the place and you’d never get anything else to live there in any numbers.
Some of us spell “desk-jockey”, B-I-O-L-O-G-I-S-T.
Yep. I’ve had to do it, on several occasions, and with several species.
I’ve been annoyed that my kid couldn’t keep the 14" small mouth she caught, but not enough to let it bother me.
But you did take a picture her and the fish, right?
Hey, Jacksonman, are you catching this???[;)]
Bajiodude, if you think that Utah’s fishing regs are repressive, I would suggest you fish Colorado, Washington, Idaho, or, believe it or not, Alaska. Go over those states regs and then see if you come back here and whine about Utah’s regs.
+1 to Tarponjim and others who pointed out it is an opportunity to teach the kids about conservation. That’s how its done, and it even worked for my stubborn kids.
I just don’t get it. Complaining about catching fish, and big fish. No complaints about not catching fish… Ain’t supposed to be bout not catching fish???
I assume that your B I O L O G I S T was the same species that opened Scofield up to 8 fish. The point is that this is a forum for stated opinion. Strawberry has been in existence for a long period of time in case you forgot. And you are struggling to make the point that it was consumed by chubs in earlier years when these stated regulations were not in place. And, of course, you know exactly what feeds on chubs in Strawberry–Bear Lake Cuts, right? If that were true, then why is there a population of chubs inhabiting that resource at present? Being over 70 years old, I remember the good ol’ days. And with that I’ll sign off. . .
Santa vaca, Pablo. This is a very important lesson to teach munchkins. The “before” and “after” of the fish population where slot limits have been imposed are night and day. The trash fish are far better controlled, and the game fish are bigger and better. Jim gave an absolutely beautiful explanation that you could pass on to the little ones.
Please tell me you don’t REALLY believe that the state of Utah and the DNR just put random restrictions on fishing, to make it not fun for kids? Really?
I personally find the slot limit at Strawberry annoying, because I haven’t ever caught a slot buster there, so I don’t fish there very often and when I do it’s through the ice. But I definitely understand and respect the reason for it.
I’ll tell you right now, I’m not as old as you but I fished Strawberry as a kid, when the limit was 8 trout, and remember catching chubs there. It’s a FAR better fishery now since the slot limit was put in place.
There are a lot of us that understand and respect the need for fisheries management. If you don’t, I suggest you take the little ones to one of the community fishing ponds and let 'em catch put-and-take trout.
Nevermind, they are managed by the DNR too, and have a 2-fish limit.
Dang rules. [crazy]
Since this is an opinion based thread I will add my 2 cents.
The biologists and the DWR have made that reg, there must be a few good reasons for it. That said…
I rarely go to those places as the SLOT SUCKS! I am a meat angler amd I want meat dammit! I aint “feeding the fish” so to say with my tackle, I am feeding myself for that pricey lure I just put out the bucks for! The berry isn’t gonna be fishless anytime soon just cuz they laxed up the slot by a few fish or even got rid of it entirely. And the chub question is one I feel might not be as bad as some potray on here.
I really doubt the reg will ever change, which sucks, at this point I blame the chub for this! That is what I hope the slot is for. The other reasons are in the rolling eyes category to me.
But as I have stated many times “the DWR is aware of the impacts the anglers have on a certain body of water”. That works for me and against me. It’s great when I can say that to someone who is un-happy with me taking my limit at a body of water and it sucks when the berry slot issue comes up. I don’t have to like it but it is what it is sometimes.
that is word for word what my kids get when we hit the lakes with a slot . and they love to see those fish swim away for another day [fishin] !!! they beg for the chance to kiss them fish before they let them go!!! 
even on lakes with out the slot the kids love to be the one to let the fish swim out of there hand. 
in this family if you keep it you clean it and you cook it !
Gracias amigo, SLOT SUCKS. I’m not a “meat” fisherman as I enjoy the outing, with the boys and family members as well. It’s just that this thread is convinced that one species of fish is going to eat the hell out of the chubs and preserve something–not sure at this point. When you have only those who love the “slot” purchasing fishing licenses, we’ll see how many techies can be hired on a limited budget, or how many sterilized bows get planted!
I assume that your B I O L O G I S T was the same species that opened Scofield up to 8 fish.
What happend when they did open it up to that many fish being kept?
The point is that this is a forum for stated opinion. Strawberry has been in existence for a long period of time in case you forgot. And you are struggling to make the point that it was consumed by chubs in earlier years when these stated regulations were not in place..
Have you forgot that they had to poison that lake once already to get the chubs under control?
And, of course, you know exactly what feeds on chubs in Strawberry–Bear Lake Cuts, right? If that were true, then why is there a population of chubs inhabiting that resource at present?
There is no way of ever getting rid of the chubs in there unless they completely drain the lake and poison the streams for a couple of years. That my friend is not going to happen.
The bear lake cutts were put in there to provide a better predator for the chubs to try and keep them in check, not to eat every last one of them.
Being over 70 years old, I remember the good ol’ days. And with that I’ll sign off. . .
I have heard of those days and it would have been neat to have fished there then. It’s to bad that the chubs were put in there in the first place.
The whole thesis of “slot” is that a 15 to 21 inch Bear Lake Cutt will keep the chubs, which I caught in Utah waters as a kid in the early 1940’s, in Strawberry in check–hopefully in Scofield as well. And because of this theory, a better fishery, as determined by the specialists, is provided for the general public. Thus, DWR plants fish each year in our public fisheries so that the public can fish for them keeping a limit out of the slot, as sterilized bows cannot reproduce. The theory in question will last as long as the public continues to purchase fishing licenses for entire families who accept the “slot law” and are not deterred by it otherwise.
Before I go any further I definitely need a bit of back ground on you “Baha”. Other then being alive for 70 years (I was taught to respect my elders therefore I will show you respect) what kind of background do you have in biology? Any back ground in zoology, microbiology, wildlife biology, fisheries management, anything like that? It will help me speak in terms so that you can understand why we have it VERY good in Utah right now. Please, you obviously have an opinion about why you think things are wrong. I would like to help you understand how the mechanics of things work, and there fore make an informed decision on facts, and not opinions.